Bicycle trailer hitch



Jan. 11, 1944. L, H CUSACK 2,339,155

BICYCLE TRAILER HITCH Filed Nov. 27, 1941 me/Wto@ www Patented Jan. 11,1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BICYCLE TRAILER HITCH Leland H. Cusack,Fulton, N. Y.

Application November 27, 1941, Serial N0. 420,708

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a trailer hitch or coupling for bicycles, andmore particularly to a hitch of simple construction capable of beingquickly and easily applied to or removed from a bicycle and adapted tobe used for connecting a trailer vehicle, such as a wagon, to thebicycle to be drawn thereby.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a hitch to which the tongueof a trailer vehicle can be quickly and easily attached or removed andwhich will effectively hold a tongue connected to the hitch.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, whichillustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the hitch or coupling shownapplied to the rear end of a bicycle,

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly in section of the same,

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the rear end of the hitch,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the planeof the line 4--4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view through the hitch takensubstantially along the plane as indicated by the line 5 5 of Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters designate like or correspcnding parts throughout the diierentviews, I designates generally the rear part of a conventional bicycle,including a rear axle Il on which is mounted a rear wheel I2 having afender I3 provided with a fork shaped supporting brace I4. These partsare of conventional construction and are shown and described merely tobetter illustrate the application of the hitch or coupling, designatedgenerally I and comprising the invention.

The hitch or coupling I5 includes a fork, designated generally I6 andwhich includes a pair of corresponding bars I1 having openings theirforward ends to receive ends of the axle II. The bars l1 extendrearwardly from the aXle II on the opposite sides of the wheel l2 andfender I3. Rearwardly of the fender I3, the bars I1 are twisted, as seenat I9, to position the sides thereof, rearwardly of the twists I9 insubstantially the same horizontal plane. The terminal ends of thesehorizontal portions are turned downwardly, as seen at 2|, and arepreferably provided with red rellector elements 22 on the I8 atA outersides thereof and which face rearwardly. A plate 23 is attached at itsforward end by fastenings 24 to the bar portions 20, adjacent theforward ends thereof. The plate 23 is provided with an upwardly offsetrear end 25 and a downwardly and forwardly inclined intermediate portion26.

A coupling plate 21 slidably engages a transverse slot 28 in the portion25 and is provided with a head 29 at its upper end which is adapted torest on the upper side of the portion 25 for supporting the plate 21 ina position, as seen in Figure 1. The bar portions 20, as best seen inFigure 3, are provided with inwardly opening notches 30 for slidablyreceiving the lower portions of the side edges of the plate 21. A spring3I includes a coil 32 having an intermediate portion 33 which isconnected by fastenings 35, to the upper side of the inclined portion26. A U- shaped spring arm 35 has legs which form continuations of theends of the coil 32 and said spring arm is bent, intermediate of itsends to substantially conform to the angular relationship of theportions 25 and 26. The free end of the spring arm 35 bears on the head29 for urging the plate 21 downwardly so as to hold it in its positionof Figure 1.

A pair of hangers 36 have lower portions 31 which engage around and areslidably mounted on the forward portions of the bars I1 and which carryset screws 38 for adjustably securing the hangers 3S to the forward endsof the bars I1. The hangers 36 are provided with inturned, for- .lwardly bent hook shaped upper ends 39 which are adapted to engage overthe legs of the fork Id.

for supporting the fork IS in substantially a horizontal position.

The hitch I5 is adapted to be attached to a tongue 40 of a wagon orother vehicle to be drawn by the bicycle and said tongue is provided atits forward end with a handle or eye 4I which is adapted to be disposedbetween the bar portions 20 and the upwardly offset portion 25 andthrough which the plate 21 is adapted to extend It will be readilyobvious that the Spring arm 35 can be drawn upwardly for permitting theplate 21 to be raised to disengage it from the eye or handle 4I or forengaging it therewith for quickly and easily connecting the bicycle tothe trailer vehicle, not shown, or for detaching it therefrom.

Various modications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, provided they fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter dened by the appended claim, as only apreferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

A trailer hitch comprising a pair of bars connected to the rear axle ofa bicycle and extending rearwardly therefrom, a plate attached to saidbars at one end behind the bicycle, said plate having an upwardly offsetrear end provided with a transverse slot, a coupling member slidablymounted in the slot, said bars having l0

